DUFFY UP FOR THE CUP

Vale defender and stand-in skipper Richard Duffy says the FA Cup is still special for him, but Saturday’s first round tie against MK Dons here at Vale Park will be treated no differently from any other game.

He says: “It’s just another game really. We take it as another tough game, but we haven’t prepared any differently, we have prepared as we always have and we are looking forward to it.

“I am sure that Rob Page and Norman (Smurthwaite) will want to progress in the Cup as much as the players will, so I would imagine Rob will pick his strongest team.

“Whatever team you are drawn against, it is always nice to be drawn at home, unless you draw one of the big boys and then it’s nice to go away, but in the early rounds it is nice to get a home tie.

“It is still special though because if you can get through the first two rounds and can then get drawn against a big team, anything can happen.

“We’ve recently seen Shrewsbury drawn against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup and they gave a very good account of themselves and on another night they could have nicked something.

“The main thing for us on Saturday is that we play at home and whoever we play out there, we fancy our chances.

“We have had MK Dons watched so we know about them, we know what to expect and when we played them here last season we came out on top, so we have nothing to fear.

“We know their strengths and their weaknesses and hopefully we can nullify their strengths and take advantage of their weaknesses.

“We have been working n things on the training ground so hopefully it will all come to a front on Saturday.”